Simplicity Courier ZT won't start

C

Catenary Kid

Member
I have a brand new, old stock Simplicity Courier Zero Turn that won't start. Mowed yesterday for about 4 hours, refilled the tank and parked it last night. Went to start it today and it will not. It cranks and spits and pops but will not run. The safety interlock on the seat, steering handles and electric clutch seem t be working just fine, but it won't run. I sprayed a spritz of starting fluid direct into the carb - no help. Where should I start looking - and how do I get warranty service for this? Thanks!
 
First, pull the plugs and see if they are wet with water. Your fuel can may have had water in it.

To get warranty, call the dealer you purchased it from for instructions.
 
Resolution?!

Went out to the barn intending to do whatever was needed to get the mower started, sat down, grabbed the key, gave it a twist and away she went! Used it all day without a hitch. Problem is: I have no idea why it wouldn't start in the first place and I'm sure - with my luck - it will happen again. Oh well.....
 
To remove the lingering doubt, have the local shop do a warranty check over and test run, they can file it under a customer satisfaction adjustment.
 
Here's a follow up: This thing is periodically frustrating as hell. With no apparent (discernable) rhyme or reason, this thing will just not start! I will start it up, move it over to gas it up or whatever, shut it off, then when I go to start it again, it won't. Or I'll go out and mow for a while (anywhere from 2 minutes to 4 hours) and when I shut it down, it won't start. If I leave it sit for a few hours, it will always start just fine. This is an extremely intermittent problem, sometimes I go for weeks without issue. Other than that the thing is a great little mower.

Problem with taking it to the dealer is it always starts for him. Anyone have any experience with this?

BTW: it's a 25 HP Briggs.
 
No. Most times it is when I've just started it to get ready to mow. It'll start, run for a minute until I shut it down (maybe 40 seconds) and it won't start again, like just a minute ago. Started, drove 50' to the fuel depot, shut it down, wouildn't start. I'm starting to believe there is something in one of the safety interlocks, but damned if I know which one....Thanks for the response.
 
Hello C.,

"New old stock"? Have you looked up the production date for this machine?

A small droplet of water in the fuel will drive you crazy. It can be in the tank, the filter or the carburetor bowl and just float around preventing fuel from getting through at random times.

This description of your problem goes full circle about the possibility of water droplets in the fuel. Get a bottle of 90% (or higher %) isopropyl rubbing alcohol and put a couple of caps full in the fuel tank. It will break up the water droplets and allow them to get passed through with the fuel. This usually works pretty well if given enough run time.

Ethanol (plant based) alcohol in most fuels collects very small amounts of moisture because it is hygroscopic.

Isopropyl alcohol is derived from petroleum and not hygroscopic like Ethanol, so it breaks down water droplets.

Another possibility is the fuel anti-backfire solenoid is sticky from fuel resins that have collected on the pintle.

Often times dealers will have fuel in display mowers sitting for months before the unit is sold. During that time the fuel in the fuel bowl breaks down very slowly and begins a process called phase separation. That means the additives in the fuel decay and form a sticky film. This sticky film gums up the pintle on the fuel anti-backfire solenoid.

When I was a service manager for a local JD dealer, that was a chronic problem I had to deal with. Manufacturers do not cover fuel related problems under warranty, so it is up to the dealer service department to resolve the issues.

The truth is that dealers often avoid responsibility for fuel related issues because it costs them money. (No one likes to lose money)

I finally made a small remote "nurse tank" with an inline fuel shutoff that could be used on most riders, and we minimized the issue of fuel sitting too long in display units. We would shut off the fuel valve of the remote nurse tank and run the carburetor dry as possible, so fuel did not just sit in them and decay.

If the hard start problem becomes more chronic. I suggest the fuel solenoid be removed and cleaned well with carburetor spray to remove the sticky resins.
 
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Take it back for a full refund.

Things like houses, cars, mowers and such that sit unused and empty degrade super quick.

Being a 0-turn you know they ran it probably everyday from inside to outside then inside for how many years? Or was it parked in the weather all that time? Any mice chewing wires on it? Critters love static apartments (mowers) like that.

Those short runs will kill that engine quick. Block never gets hot building condensation watering down the oil.
 
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